1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to conveyors and more particularly, to a single bucket type of conveyor which is moved up and down an inclined frame structure so as to pick up articles from a lower most position and deposit them at an upper position at the top of the inclined frame.
2. Prior Art
Many types of conveyors have been devised which utilize a bucket or similar form of container to move a payload up an inclined surface and then dump the payload in a desired receptacle. See for example, the following United States patents: Bollman U.S. Pat. No. 817,747, Snipes U.S. Pat. No. 930,321, Reubold U.S. Pat. No. 957,379, and Guy U.S. Pat. No. 2,401,150.
In addition, similar mechanisms have been utilized to provide inclined elevators for moving people and/or materials from one location to another elevated location from which they can egress or be removed. See for example, the following United States patents: Wood U.S. Pat. No. 1,933,131, and Allen U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,294.
All of the devices disclosed in the above referred to patents were designed for specific applications and have their special features which are directed to those specific applications. This is likewise true with the present invention.
In factories where large quantities of small parts are produced, it is common to use a continuously moving belt conveyor to convey such parts from one location to another for subsequent processing or packaging. However, such continuous conveyors are unnecessary in factories where plastic or metal parts are made in a molding operation in which a plurality of parts are formed in the mold at one time, the mold then being opened and the parts being dumped on a conveyor. The power consumption of such conveyors is substantial and in the case of molding operations where a plurality of the parts are deposited when a mold is opened and then a substantial time delay occurs until the next subsequent plurality of parts are dumped on to the conveyor, a substantial portion of the energy consumed is wasted.
In such operations it becomes advantageous to use a bucket conveyor in which the conveyor is only operated after the bucket has been filled. During the time in which the mold is forming the parts, the bucket is not operating and thus saves substantial energy over the continuous conveyor.
Continuously moving belt conveyors have other drawbacks as well, for example, the cost of replacing the large belts utilized in such conveyors is substantial, and since these belts are constantly moving and thus wearing, it is common to replace these belts quite frequently.
However, prior art bucket types of conveyors have different disadvantages from those associated with the continuous belt conveyors, particularly from a safety point of view. With continuous belt conveyors the workers are always aware of the continuous movement of the conveyor and are thus careful to avoid injury by contact with the moving parts. On the other hand, with the bucket type of conveyor, since it is only operated intermittently, it can surprise a worker when it is activated which may result in injury by contact with the bucket or other moving parts of the conveyor system. Further, with known prior art conveyors of the bucket type there is no provision for stopping the movement of the bucket should a worker become snagged on the bucket, or should parts become wedged between the bucket and its supporting structure. This can result in injury to the worker and possible catestrophic damage to the conveyor since it will continue to operate until something breaks or the obstruction is overcome.